Turkey:

 by Antonio Perea

If there is a trip that all lover of navigation would not have to stop realizing at some time of his life is to Turkey, one of the most beautiful enclaves of our Mediterranean Sea. Sailing throughout its spectacular coasts not only we will enjoy impressive landscapes and unforgettable anchorages, if not that at the same time we will be able to be felt immersed in some of the most important scenes of the history of the West, where come together the cultures hitita, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and finally Ottoman.

Bodrum, the mythical Halicarnaso of the antigúuedad, located in a peninsula in front of the Greek island of Kos, is a good departure point to sail by the call “the Turkish Riviera”, since it mixes his historical and artistic wealth with his atmosphere nocturne, Bohemian and vanguardista.

The castle of San Pedro, masterpiece of the medieval architecture, rises on the port protecting the Mediterranean white houses, lived recently by sponge divers. It was constructed in century XV by the Horsemen of the Order of Malta and at present lodges an interesting museum of submarine archeology.

On the foot of the castle are the little vestiges of the Mausoleum of Halicarnaso, erected in honor of sátrapa Mausolo in century IV a.c., one of the seven wonders of the old world.

From Bodrum three most interesting itineraries of navigation in which the Greek archaeological deposits (Priene, Mileto, Didyma, Lindos and Cnido) with the Romans can be combined (Efeso, Pátara, Xanthos, Myra and Kos), the cosmopolitan cities (Kusadasi, Rhodes and Kas), with the singular landscapes and coves (Datca, Fethiye and Kekova), without forgetting the castles can be initiated the Order of Malta (Rhodes). The location of other two great wonders of the antiquity can even be observed: the temple of Morning call of Efeso and the Colossus of Rhodes.

The first itinerary has a predominantly archaeological character, since it allows to visit four deposits of enormous importance.

The suggested route is Bodrum - Altinkum - Kusadasi. The peninsula is surrounded by Bodrum in North direction to take the Bay from Gulluk until Altinkum (gold sand), one of the most beautiful beaches of Turkey, which supposes 36 miles. 

To 4 km towards the interior of this beach are the immense columns of the temple of Apolo in Didyma, that welcomed in other times a as famous oracle as the one of Delphi. Two reliefs with heads of Jellyfish are conserved in excellent state that adorned friso. To 18 km by earth it appears Mileto, it cradles of Such, whose past it is guessed by his magnificent Greek theater and the spas of Faustina, already Roman.

Sailing towards the north one goes between the Greek island of Samos and the National Park of Dilek, in which is a zoological reserve of bears and lynges, as well as seals and turtles in the coast. One enters the Bay of Kusadasi thus, in whose center is the city of the same name, 50 miles of Altinkum. Kusadasi, the island of the birds, typical coastal population with good restaurants, discotheques and stores of carpets and leather, grease to beaches with crystalline waters.

To 20 km, Efeso, perhaps the city better conserved of the antiquity. The marble road, the spas, the gymnasium, the theater, odeón, the Roman houses, the brothel, ágora, the stage, the sources and the temples, remain raised after almost twenty centuries. The library of Celso, the door of Mitridates, the temple of Adriano and the houses of the Coressos mount emphasize on the impressive magnitude of all the ruins. To 36 km Of Kusadasi towards the south it is Priene, Ionian city, where it is possible to be admired, besides one of the best Senates of hellenistic time, the model of urbanism of the time.

The second alternative more is varied, combining landscapes and ruins. Leaving Bodrum towards the south is the Greek island of Kos to 11 miles. The entrance of the port is guarded by a medieval castle constructed by the Horsemen of Rhodes. From the old Roman city it is enjoyed of panoramic an excellent one. Following towards the south and crossing the Gulf of Gokova, to 18 miles is Cnido, another hellenistic city, already in Turkey. Closely together of the port there is a perron that ascends to the temple of Aphrodite. 

Without losing of view the extended Peninsula of Resadiye, in that immense cliffs follow one another to clean sand coves and crystalline waters, it is arrived at the colorful port of Datca, to 20 miles.

Course towards the south-east is arrived, after sailing 32 miles, to the Rhodes, greatest of the islands of the Greek Dodecaneso. Its capital overflows atmosphere animated to all hours. The walled city, meticulously recovered, is crossed by the street of the Horsemen, splashed of medieval palaces. The mosques of the Turkish district and the ruins of Greek temples complete a panorama of resistances. Paying for the island towards the south the houses whitewashed of Pretty are descried, to 22 miles. From the temple of Lindia Athenian, in the Acropolis, it is enjoyed one of the most known stamps Greece.

The third alternative, whose first shutdown is Fethiye, can also be raised like an extension of the second route, since there are only 45 miles from Rhodes to Fethiye. In a side of a great cliff a Lycia tomb is conserved excavated on the rock with form of Greek temple. To 16 miles the Dead Sea of Ölü Deniz, a separated inner lake of the sea by a sand bank is nailed. Until Pátara there are 24 miles. Into Pátara the passage of time has transformed its Roman theater in one of most singular of the world, since it is covered by the sand of the extensive beach surrounds that it. 

To Kalkan there are 6 miles more, place from where Xanthos can be approached, the main Lycia city, 18 km to the interior. Following the coast, to 16 miles is Kas. Beautiful and animated tourist center, necrópolis Lycia counts on one, a hellenistic theater that can be seen from the sea and an attractive blue grotto. 15 miles towards the east is more the island of Kekova, whose clarísimas turkish waters let glimpse the submerged ruins and to 6 miles it is Demre more and the Lycean rock tombs of Myra, carved imitating the structure of its houses.

If there were to choose a country that summarized the history of the western civilization, Turkey would be one of the best candidates. Land of transition between Europe and Asia, between Christianity and Islam, enters east and the West, Turkey still conserves rest of almost all the great cultures of last the four millenia.

Whatever the selected itinerary, the resistance between passed and present, culture and nature, next to frequently exceptional conditions of navigation and to the traditional Turkish hospitality, will obtain that much later of to have returned we continue remembering one of our better boat trips: the one of Turkey.